On Friday, 9th July, an expert session was held with Mr. Pranav- a molecular biologist and a photographer. When we gazed upon the event in our calendars, some of us read the topic line twice, blinking with surprise. But as absurd as it seemed, it was true. Mr. Pranav made sure to balance both his profession and his passion. A molecular biologist by day, and an expert photographer by night. We eagerly joined the meeting to find out about our interesting expert speaker.
As soon as we joined, Mr. Pranav spoke little about himself in the beginning. He only repeated the fact that he balanced two worlds, and that he did not want to forsake his passion even though he chose a different career path. As each of us listened in amazement, questions piled up. Finally, the floor was opened to questions. All of us poured out our queries, waiting for our curiosity to be quenched. Mr. Pranav patiently answered each of our questions, with grins flashing across everyone’s faces. Some of us asked about how he managed his time, juggling two starkly different interests. His views were that one must make sure to devote reasonable time to all aspects of life- your profession or education, your passion and interests, and your family. He believed that our generation must try to control the lure of electronic devices and make sure to spend time on the things we love.
He gave us advice in the field of photography- attending institutions is less important than self-learning- and on what instruments to use. During these interactive moments, it came to light that Mr. Pranav was quite the rebellious student! He never finished his notes and assignments on time and cherished his mischievous streak. He also suggested that as young students, we must be silly and embrace each of our mischievous streaks to make memories that will last forever. Throughout this expert talk, we were inspired by how Mr. Pranav chose to follow his heart and make every moment count. We realized that there was value in trying to pursue multiple things, and the phrase ‘Jack of all, King of none’ must not discourage those who are willing to try!
At the end of the talk, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that Mr. Pranav had been the student of our Head of School! We giggled as ma’am recounted his late submissions. Of course, we all admired the accomplishments and willpower of Mr. Pranav. We were certainly inspired by his story.
In the end, it felt like a world of possibilities suddenly opened up before us, and we could dare to stray from that safe, conventional path of life society chose for us. We sincerely thank Mr. Pranav for this precious, eye-opening session. We hope to see you again!
By, Aviendha Asati, Sub-Editor, CMR NPS
The pictures for the expert session is here
